Ribes Lake Fishing in Sudbury, Ontario

• Overview

  Ribes Lake is one of the Sudbury waters in Ontario. Height above sea level is 352 metres. It runs to roughly 79 hectares — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The shoreline runs about 8.3 km, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Chapleau sits 49 km from the bank. Wawa lies 79 km off, Hornepayne another 134 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Ribes Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Sudbury, recorded fish include smallmouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, Iowa darter and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Ribes Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 17°C, with January the cold end at about -16°C. Winter owns most of the year at this latitude. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early May. On average, early May opens the water and mid November closes it again. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Expect Ribes Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Pibroch Lake sits 1.3 km off and takes the overflow. The position on Ribes Lake is worth confirming on the day.